We all want our children to thrive, and there are so many philosophies on how to raise healthy children. One of these theories involves music lessons and exposing them to music at a young age. Studies have shown that babies react to music when they’re still in the womb.
The benefits don’t stop there. Music continues to benefit children as they grow, especially if they learn to play music. Playing an instrument can be a lifelong hobby, and there’s a lot to master.
This raises an interesting question–when should you start giving your child music lessons? We’ll discuss that here.
Waiting for Interest
There are two basic schools of thought when it comes to music lessons. The first insists that the child should start learning music as early as possible. The second advises parents not to pursue music lessons unless the child wants them.
The answer is a combination of both. Most people, and children especially, struggle to do tasks we find unpleasant. Signing a child up for music lessons they don’t want to take is an uphill battle, and the child will likely give up.
Interest isn’t possible without knowledge. A child won’t show interest in music if they never encounter it. Try playing music for your child and see if they seem interested.
Finding a Teacher
If your child does want to take music lessons, the next step is to find them a good teacher or music school. It also wouldn’t hurt to learn about methods for teaching music as well.
Make sure to vet all your options when choosing a music teacher or school for your child. Some teachers will be a lot more engaged than others. All too often, parents pay money for their child to learn nothing.
Pacing
Everything in music is a question of time and pacing. This includes learning music and choosing an instrument.
Like any discipline, children learn music at different paces. While some of it has to do with comprehension, other parts of it don’t. For instance, the French horn requires a lot of air to play certain notes. It’s also very heavy, and those are just a few of its issues.
Difficulty level is another thing to consider. Some instruments are harder to learn than others. An interesting fact is that some of the hardest instruments to play well are considered to be the most annoying. We’ve all heard endless jokes about accordions and bagpipes, but the truth is that playing them well is difficult, and some people never master it.
Music Lessons: When to Begin?
When should you start music lessons for your child? The best answer is that the child should decide.
You should also note that timing is one factor among many. It’s not just when your child learns to play, but also what they learn to play and who teaches them.
You can read more about music and how it’s taught by reading our blog. If you’re looking for lessons for your child, read up on some of our staff.
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